Area In Central Spain Research Articles

Quantifying the predation impact of an expanding mesocarnivore on declining small‐game species

AbstractHuman‐wildlife conflicts have increased and are particularly acute when predators are involved. A frequent source of conflict is some people's misbeliefs related to the alleged impact of predators on game species and livestock. In this context, quantifying the impact of expanding predators on their prey can be useful in designing conflict mitigation strategies. We estimated the predation impact of the Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon), an expanding mesocarnivore in southwestern Europe, on European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and red‐legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) populations, two declining prey species highly valued by hunters. We estimated mongoose densities in three areas of central Spain through live capture, GPS/VHF tagging, camera‐trapping and spatial mark‐resight models. Rabbit and partridge densities were estimated through transect counts and distance sampling. We quantified the mongoose diet by scat analysis. Finally, we compared the number of individuals consumed by the predator population with the estimated total prey populations. European rabbits were the most important mongoose food in two of the study areas, whereas red‐legged partridges were rarely consumed in all the areas. Rabbit density varied widely among study areas (14.0–881.4 rabbits/km2), while partridge density was low in all the areas (2.3–6.9 partridges/km2). The predation impact on rabbits was low in the area with the highest rabbit density (1.9–3.8% of estimated population) and higher (5.6–29%) in the other areas. In contrast, the predation impact on partridge populations was low (<9%) in all the study areas. This is the first study that estimates the Egyptian mongoose impact on small‐game species, a necessary step to deal with the conflicts over the management of this expanding species. The study of predation impact may contribute to the effective management of human‐wildlife conflicts involving predators, by improving the understanding of where additional management may take place to protect prey species or deter predator populations.

Reduced growth sensitivity to water availability as potential indicator of drought-induced tree mortality risk in a Mediterranean Pinus sylvestris L. forest

IntroductionDrought-associated tree mortality has been increasing worldwide since the last decades, impacting structure and functioning of forest ecosystems, with implications for energy, carbon and water fluxes. However, the understanding of the individual vulnerability to drought-induced mortality is still limited.MethodsWe aimed to identify the factors that triggered the mortality of the widely distributed Pinus sylvestris L. in an extensive forest area in central Spain. We compared radial growth patterns in pairs of alive and recently dead individuals that co-occur in close proximity and present similar age and size, thereby isolating the effects of size and environment from the mortality process. Temporal dynamics of growth, growth synchrony, and growth sensitivity to water availability (precipitation minus potential evapotranspiration) were compared between alive and recently dead trees.Results and discussionOver the last 50 years, although we did not detect significant differences in growth between alive and dead trees, an increase in the growth synchrony and sensitivity to water availability (i.e. slope of the climatic water balance in the growth model) was observed in all trees as drought intensity increased. 20 years before mortality, dead individuals showed lower growth synchrony and growth sensitivity to water availability than alive ones, without significant differences in growth. Recorded reduction in growth synchrony and growth sensitivity to water availability in dead trees suggests a decoupling between tree growth and climate, which could increase the risk of hydraulic failure and/or carbon starvation under increasingly arid conditions. Thus, the use of reduced growth sensitivity to water availability as potential early-warning signal of tree mortality, together with reduced growth synchrony, should be further explored, particularly in pine species in seasonally dry areas.

Dietary niche overlap and resource partitioning among six steppe passerines of Central Spain using DNA metabarcoding

Trophic niche partitioning is a mechanism that facilitates the coexistence of ecologically similar species by sharing their resource use. However, detailed information of the trophic niche in insectivorous birds is usually limited by the lack of accurate identification of consumed food resources. The use of DNA metabarcoding has proved useful for molecular identification of the taxa present in bird faecal samples. Here, we used this molecular technique to study the diets of six steppe passerine species distributed in two Special Protection Areas in central Spain, and to characterize the dietary niche overlap and the prey composition differences between bird species. In total, we distinguished 112 diet items, covering 39 arthropod families of 13 orders. Although significant dietary differences existed in prey species composition, our results indicated a 74% overlap in steppe bird dietary niche, mostly due to high consumption of abundant arthropod prey such as beetles, grasshoppers and spiders in the breeding season by all bird species. The lowest overlap was found for the dietary niches of the Greater Short‐toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla and Dupont's Lark Chersophilus duponti, a scarce and threatened species, which appeared to be the species with the most distinct dietary niche within the community. Our results make a significant contribution to the knowledge of shrub‐steppe bird diets and their trophic interactions, indicating that some extent of interspecific resource partitioning occurs in the study area, notably between Dupont's Lark and the Greater Short‐toed Lark. Our study demonstrates the value of DNA metabarcoding in the assessment of passerine diets and provides useful ecological results for the design of biodiversity conservation programmes in the increasingly scarce and threatened steppe habitats.

Unravelling the Concentrations of Five Rare Earth Elements in Two Vineyard Red Soils

The La Mancha region is a primary food production area in central Spain, with extensive zones used as vineyards. This article aims to present information about rare earth elements’ (REEs) contents and deals with their distribution in two representative soil profiles (Alfisols) in this area. The presence of carbonates and a semiarid climate are its main characteristic environmental factors. Lanthanum (La), Cerium (Ce), Neodymium (Nd), Scandium (Sc) and Yttrium (Y) concentrations were determined using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). The results revealed the following maximum REEs’ contents (mg·kg–1): Ce 93.3, La 46.8, Nd 38.6, Y 25.5 and Sc 13.0. The REEs’ concentrations in the two soil profiles were in the following order: Ce > La > Nd > Y > Sc. The application of fungicides and the addition of fertilisers in vineyards can increase the soil concentration of rare earths up to this region’s normal background levels. According to the Geo-Accumulation Index (Igeo), soil samples were non-contaminated or slightly contaminated by REEs.

Heavy Metals in Sediments and Greater Flamingo Tissues from a Protected Saline Wetland in Central Spain

Aquatic ecosystems often act as sinks for agricultural, industrial, and urban wastes. Among potential pollutants, heavy metals can modify major biogeochemical cycles by affecting microorganisms and other biota. This study assessed the distribution and concentration of heavy metals (Cd, Hg, Cu, Pb, and Zn) in Pétrola Lake, a heavily impacted area in central Spain where the greater flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus breeds. This study was designed to determine the concentration and identify the potential sources of heavy metals in Pétrola Lake protected area, including sediments, agricultural soils, and tissues of the greater flamingo. A six-step sequential extraction was performed to fractionate Cu, Pb, and Zn from lake sediments and agricultural soil samples to gain insight into different levels of their bioavailability. Our results showed that Pb and Cd accumulated in lake sediments and agricultural soils, respectively, most likely derived from anthropogenic sources. Multivariate analysis revealed differences between these (Pb and Cd) and the remaining studied elements (Cu, Hg, and Zn), whose concentrations were all below the pollution threshold. Lead pollution in sediments was apparently dominated by organic matter binding, with fractions up to 34.6% in lake sediments. Cadmium slightly accumulated in agricultural soils, possibly associated with the use of fertilizers, but still below the pollution thresholds. In the flamingo samples, low bioaccumulation was observed for all the studied elements. Our study suggests that human activities have an impact on heavy metal accumulation in sediments and soils, despite being below the pollution levels.

Prediction of crop biophysical variables with panel data techniques and radar remote sensing imagery

Since the late 1970s, remote sensing techniques have been proven to be suitable for characterizing and monitoring plants and crops. In particular, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) missions contribute considerably to this prediction effort. However, the main issue when using SAR image series together with field observations is the scarcity of data due to the difficulty of acquiring field measurements. This research aimed to contribute to solving this problem with an alternative statistical model that can overcome the lack of a long, robust series of field-based ground truth observations. The main novelty of this research is the evaluation of the potential of a panel data approach to radar remote sensing imagery for predicting crop biophysical variables. For this purpose, RADARSAT-2 imagery was acquired over the study area in central Spain. Simultaneously, a field campaign was deployed to estimate crop parameters in the same area and to validate the results of the modelling. The analysis of the influence of the crop type on the incidence angle and the polarimetric parameters showed a strong influence of the co-polar channels (HH, VV), the entropy (H) and the coherence between the co-polar channels (γHHVV), with the differences being higher at 25°. The panel data analysis method demonstrated that good predictions, with R2 greater than 0.78, were achieved for all biophysical variables analysed in this study. Overall, this novel statistical approach with remote sensing data showed great applicability for the prediction of crop variables, even with a short series of observations.

Plasticity in daily activity patterns of a key prey species in the Iberian Peninsula to reduce predation risk

Abstract Context Some prey species can shift their daily activity patterns to reduce the risk of encountering predators, and, in turn, predators develop strategies to increase their chances of meeting prey. European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a key species in Iberian Mediterranean ecosystems. It is the main prey for many vertebrate predators. It is also a game species and is often the target of management measures such as translocations. Aims To test whether rabbits adjust their activity patterns in response to differing predation regimes in a management context. Methods Rabbits were translocated from a donor area, with a high rabbit density, to a release area in central Spain, with a semi-permeable fenced plot and an unfenced plot, which had no rabbits before the translocation. We estimated daily activity patterns and relative abundance index (RAI) for mesocarnivores and rabbits by using camera-traps, and calculated Jacobs selection index (JSI) to classify each species in a diel period. Additionally, we calculated the activity overlap between prey and mesocarnivores in the different areas. Key results Rabbits were nocturnal in the donor area, where only two mesocarnivore species were detected, red fox (Vulpes vulpes, with a high RAI) and Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon, with a low RAI). However, in the unfenced area, where five mesocarnivore species were present, rabbits showed a crepuscular trend with two activity peaks, around sunrise and around sunset. In contrast, rabbits showed a nocturnal activity in the fenced plot, where four mesocarnivore species were detected but where only the Egyptian mongoose (strictly diurnal) had a high RAI value. Conclusions and implications The results suggest that rabbits in the fenced plot adapted their activity to avoid the diurnal mongooses. Conversely, rabbits in unfenced areas showed a trend towards day/twilight activity patterns as an adaptation to a diverse community of mesocarnivores. Rabbits can adapt their daily activity patterns to reduce predation risk depending on the pressure exerted by different predator species, with conservation and management implications. These adaptations would allow higher success of rabbit translocations despite the risk of predation by carnivores and could help in the management design of future translocations of this key species.

A methodology to assess the future connectivity of protected areas by combining climatic representativeness and land-cover change simulations: the case of the Guadarrama National Park (Madrid, Spain)

Protected areas are fundamental in conservation, but their intactness is increasingly threatened by the effects of climate and land-cover changes. Here, a methodological procedure is proposed able to determine the representative climatic conditions of a protected area in central Spain (Guadarrama National Park) pinpointing the natural areas that will host future analogous conditions, but also assessing the effects of land-cover changes on the connectivity of these areas. Future conditions provided by two 2050 IPCC climatic change scenarios and land-cover change simulations were jointly used for this purpose. According to the results obtained, climate change will produce notable effects, displacing its representative climatic conditions as well as modifying the land cover in the neighboring localities. Three areas appear as fundamental for the future maintenance of this reserve: two within the Iberian Central System (Gredos Mountains and Ayllón Mountains) and one in the Iberian System (Urbión Mountains). The proposed approach can be implemented in any protected area to examine its capacity to represent in the future the environmental conditions for which it was created.

Comparison of mortality rate in older adults with and without functional awareness: the Neurological Disorders in Central Spain (NEDICES) population-based study

ObjectivesThe main aim of the study was to compare the rates of mortality in older adults with and without functional unawareness (FU). We also tested a possible interaction effect between levels of awareness and education, as a single cognitive reserve proxy, on mortality. Study designThe study design is a longitudinal population-based cohort study. MethodsThe Neurological Disorders in Central Spain is epidemiological study to detect main age-associated conditions in people aged 65 years and older. Participants were collected from updated population-based registers of residents in three areas of central Spain. Awareness of functional limitations was established in accordance with the discrepancy between two sources of information on functional impairments: reliable informants versus the participants themselves. Three mutually exclusive groups were formed, namely, Functional Limitation Complaints (FCs), FU, and Functional Awareness (FA). Cox's regression models, adjusted by different covariates, were used to calculate the risk of mortality for each group at 5-year follow-up (vs. reference group without limitations). ResultsOf 1818 selected individuals, 229 (12.5%) showed FA, 254 (13.9%) showed FC, and 96 (5%) were classified as FU. All these groups showed an increased risk of mortality at 5-year follow-up [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for FC < FU < FA]. However, the association of FU with mortality remained significant only for highly educated individuals. ConclusionsFunctional impairment was associated with increased mortality rates, regardless of the presence of unawareness. This study extends the role of education in modulating the symptoms and prognosis of individuals at very mild or preclinical dementia stages.

Effect of irradiation and canopy position on anatomical and physiological features of Fagus sylvatica and Quercus petraea leaves

Growing conditions at different tree canopy positions may significantly vary and lead to foliar changes even within the same tree. An assessment of foliar anatomy, including also epidermal features, can help us understand how plants respond to environmental factors. Working with two model tree species (i.e., Quercus petraea and Fagus sylvatica) grown at their southernmost European distribution area in Central Spain, the influence of irradiation and canopy height was examined by sampling lower canopy leaves and comparing them with fully irradiated, top canopy leaves and shaded top canopy leaves grown for months within a bag made of shade netting fabric before they sprouted. At the end of the summer, samples were collected, and several parameters were analysed. The results indicate that SLA (specific leaf area) differences are significant both between species and groups. Leaf and cuticle thickness differed significantly between groups while stomatal densities only between species. Regarding mineral concentrations, differences between species were significant for K, Mn, N and N: P ratios. It is concluded that leaf responses to environmental conditions may be variable both within the same tree and between species.

Análisis de Sensibilidad aplicado a modelos de crecimiento urbano basados en autómatas celulares de estructura irregular

En el presente trabajo se aplica un Análisis de Sensibilidad (AS), como parte de un proceso de validación, sobre un modelo de simulación del crecimiento urbano basado en Autómatas Celulares (AC) de estructura irregular (MUGICA, Model for Urban Growth simulation using an Irregular Celular Automata). Este modelo ha sido desarrollado para simular el crecimiento urbano de tres municipios pertenecientes a un importante corredor urbano-industrial (Corredor del Henares) localizado en la zona central peninsular de España. Si bien la metodología utilizada en este trabajo ya ha sido aplicada en modelos basados en una estructura raster, se pretende comprobar su viabilidad en un modelo de estructura irregular como MUGICA, el cual emplea la parcela catastral como unidad de referencia. El objetivo es explorar el grado de influencia de cada uno de los factores en los resultados del modelo, de manera individual y en sus diferentes combinaciones. Para ello se realiza una eliminación sucesiva de los factores con el fin de evaluar si la ausencia de uno o varios de ellos supone una alteración significativa de los resultados. Los resultados muestran, en primer lugar, la viabilidad de la aplicación de esta metodología en este tipo de entorno irregular. Por otro lado, se ha podido constatar la gran influencia de los factores accesibilidad y aptitud en el desarrollo de suelo urbano, como sería de esperar en un modelo de estas características.

Assessment of ecotoxicological risks to river otters from ingestion of invasive red swamp crayfish in metal contaminated areas: Use of feces to estimate dietary exposure

The invasive red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) has become a major food resource for Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) in the Iberian Peninsula. Crayfish accumulate large amounts of metals, and hence otters could be at risk of exposure and intoxication through crayfish consumption. We conducted a food safety risk assessment for otters inhabiting two historical mining areas in central Spain affected by lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) pollution. Estimated daily intakes (EDI) of Pb and Hg were non-invasively calculated from the proportion of crayfish remains and metal levels in otter feces. We considered that the abdominal muscle and the carcass of crayfish differ significantly in relative weight, total metal content and bioavailability of metals to reduce the uncertainty of risk characterization. Fecal concentrations of Hg and Pb in the polluted areas were 1.878 and 6.554 μg/g d. w., respectively (13-fold and 7-fold higher compared to a non-polluted area). EDI of Hg and Pb in the polluted areas were 66.02 and 78.26 μg/kg-day, respectively (14- and 8-fold higher than in the reference area). EDI from the Hg area were above minimum levels susceptible to cause neurotoxicity in mustelids, and 6.3% were above levels susceptible to cause histopathological lessions. In the Pb area, 16.7% of EDI were consistent with levels causing reproductive effects. Metal exposure through crayfish consumption might prevent or slow the recovey of otters in these polluted environments, thus this factor should be considered in management strategies aimed to protect otter populations.

Phenotypic plasticity in breeding plumage signals in both sexes of a migratory bird: responses to breeding conditions

Adaptive phenotypic plasticity may respond to present ambient conditions. Sexual and social signals in both sexes may express phenotype performance. Plumage signals that change discontinuously allow relating discrete variation to previous performance. Both sexes of the pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca present white patches on the wings and on the forehead, which constitute sexual and social signals. Forehead patches are moulted together with body plumage in Africa, while wing patches are partly moulted in Africa and partly in the breeding area soon after breeding. We studied individual inter‐year changes (corrected for regression to the mean) in the size of forehead and wing patches of both sexes in seven years for females or six years for males in two nearby study areas in central Spain. We found that initial signal extent strongly delimits the possible subsequent changes negatively. There is a negative association of male age with forehead patch changes. Cold and rainy springs are associated in females with decreases in both patch areas and vice versa, while no association with climate is observed in male wing patch changes. Cold pre‐breeding conditions predict positive changes in female wing and male forehead patches. Breeding success is positively associated with forehead patch changes in females. Late‐breeding males experience more positive changes in forehead patch size than early‐breeding males. Some of these trends can be explained by variable costs of breeding in certain conditions for subsequent signal production and/or maintenance, while absence of trends in some cases may be explained by sex differences in costs of breeding and interactions with phenotypic quality of breeders.

Abstracts of the 11th International Conference on Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle Wasting, Maastricht, The Netherlands, 7–9 December 2018 (Part 2)

Abstracts of the 11^th International Conference on Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle Wasting, Maastricht, The Netherlands, 7–9 December 2018 (Part 2)

Voices in the New Millenium. Shepherds in the Pela Mountains (Southwest of Soria. Central Spain)

This paper analyzes the discourses and voices linked with the shepherd process of change. The disappearance of traditional shepherd has begun a sequence of transformations in the sheep livestock in the depopulated rural areas in central Spain. Mainly are changes associated with the organization of work, the size of flock and the management of rural space. These processes of change present different characteristics even in small rural areas. The methods are mainly qualitative based on semi-structured interviews and extensive presence in the research area. The case study is the Pela Mountains in Soria province. The results of qualitative analysis suggest a process of change in the management of sheep, mainly associated with the increase of flock of sheep, disappearance of the salaried shepherd and a process of individualization in the use of municipal space.

Influence of size and shape of forest inventory units on the layout of harvest blocks in numerical forest planning

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of using alternative types of forest inventory units (FIUs) in multi-objective forest planning. The research was carried out in a Mediterranean forest area in central Spain. The study area was divided, alternatively, into pixels (square cells) and segments of two different sizes (small and large), which represented the tested FIU types. Airborne laser scanning data (ALS) and field sample plots were combined using the area-based approach to estimate forest attributes for each FIU. Dynamic treatment units were created using cellular automaton optimization aiming at maximizing timber production during a 60-year plan with periodical even-flow cuttings both with and without the aim of creating aggregated harvest blocks. The hypothesis was that the use of segments would enhance the clustering of harvests, as compared to cells, and provide dynamic treatment units more suitable for forestry practice. The results showed that segment-based planning created compact harvest blocks even without the use of spatial objective variables in optimization. The spatial layout of the solution for large segments was the most efficient in the absence of spatial objective variables. The FIU type that performed the best in maximizing timber production was the small segments. For the three tested FIU types, the inclusion of spatial objective variables further improved the clustering of harvests, especially during the latter half of the 60-year planning period. Segmentation acted as a first-phase clustering that made spatial optimization easier and faster. In the case of square cells, the clustering of harvests was greatly improved by the inclusion of spatial goals. The forest planning system and the spatial optimization method proposed in this study maximize the utility of fine-grained ALS data.

Testing three approaches to estimate soil evaporation through a dry soil layer in a semi-arid area

Bare soils and grasslands in arid and semi-arid conditions constitute a large portion of the earth surface. Evaporation, which is the main component of the water balance in these conditions, often takes place through a dry soil layer (DSL). There is no scientific agreement yet on the DSL effects on evaporation rates.The implementations of three conceptual models of DSL-evaporation were tested for the simulation of evaporation rates in a semi-arid study area in Central Spain: (i) the daily-average model, based on the assumption that the daily average vapour transport in a DSL can be represented in analogy to isothermal liquid flow; (ii) the numerical model solving the Richards equation, in this case HYDRUS1D was used; and (iii) the pore-scale model, based on soil column experiments in laboratory conditions. The evaporation rates estimated by the three conceptual models for semi-arid field conditions were compared with the evaporation rates measured by an eddy covariance tower in the same area.The results indicate that the daily-average conceptual model assumption, in which the DSL has no effects on evaporation, does not hold in very dry conditions. The numerical model solving the Richards equation was not able to simulate the effects of the DSL on evaporation rates. The evaporation estimates obtained by the pore-scale conceptual model were closest to the eddy covariance measurements during the dry season, however this model was applicable only to the relatively steady evaporation conditions during afternoons and only assuming spatially constant DSL thickness.

Opposing population trajectories in two Bustard species: A long-term study in a protected area in Central Spain

SummaryIn conservation biology, population monitoring is a critical step, particularly for endangered groups, such as steppe birds in European agro-ecosystems. Long-term population monitoring allows for determination of species population trends and also provides insights into the relative roles that environmental variability and human activities have on priority species. Here, we compare the population trends of two sympatric, closely related farmland bird species, the Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax and Great Bustard Otis tarda, in a protected area of Central Spain, which is their main stronghold in Europe. Over 12 years of monitoring, the abundance of Little and Great Bustards shifted in opposite directions in our study area. Little Bustard abundance decreased significantly (both males [-56%], and harder-to-detect females [-55%]), while Great Bustard abundance increased significantly (1,800%). Future surveys should be more precise and frequent for Little Bustards to facilitate evaluation of their population status and trends. We recommend annual surveys in 2–3 important locations by region throughout the breeding range for Little Bustards, while for Great Bustard the current regional monitoring programmes would be sufficient.

Traffic Noise Pollution Does Not Influence Habitat Selection in the Endangered Little Bustard

Traffic noise is an associated effect of roads, potentially impacting wildlife. In the case of birds, it may alter spatial distribution, behavioural responses and physiological status, frequently masking the acoustic signals of conspecifics and predators. We analyse how road traffic noise affects habitat selection of Little Bustard males during the breeding season, when they produce brief territorial snort calls. The study site is in a typical agrarian area in central Spain, markedly affected by traffic noise. A noise map was built using specific environmental noise modelling software. The habitat in the territories of 26 individually-recognisable males (62% of the male population in the study year) was characterised in relation to noise levels, agrarian substrate composition and distance to nearest males. Habitat selection models were performed using MaxEnt, and an averaged model of the first 20 significant ones was generated. The noise map revealed high noise pollution levels for the whole study area (range: 50.13–62.35 dB). Distance to the nearest male was the most important variable in habitat selection models, so that as distance increased suitability decreased, while the effect of traffic noise was nearly negligible. This lack of traffic noise effect on the habitat selection of Little Bustard males might be explained by the low overlap between their snort call frequency and that of traffic noise, but it also suggests a poor capacity by this bird to cope with recent, anthropogenic disturbance. In this respect, noisy but otherwise suitable habitats could be functioning as ecological traps for this rapidly declining species. — Martinez-Marivela, I., Morales, M.B., Iglesias-Merchan, C., Delgado, M.P., Tarjuelo, R. & Traba, J. (2018). Traffic noise pollution does not influence habitat selection in the endangered Little Bustard. Ardeola, 65: 261–270.

Contribution of the soil SEED bank to the recovery of a Cytisus oromediterraneus shrubland after fuel reduction treatments

Land managers need scientifically-based information to enable them to select the most appropriate treatments for reduction of high-severity wildfires in shrubland areas. The soil seed bank is known to play a key role in the post-disturbance recovery of shrubland communities, although information about how it is affected by fuel reduction treatments is still scarce. We carried out a combined greenhouse and field study to evaluate the effects of prescribed burning, clearing and mastication on the response of the soil seed bank and vegetation recovery in a Cytisus oromediterraneus (Spanish golden broom) shrubland area in central Spain. We determined the following variables: total seedling density in the greenhouse, broom density (in the greenhouse and field), vegetation cover recovery in the field, species richness (in the greenhouse and field) and similarity index between the floristic composition of the above-ground vegetation and soil seed bank. We also evaluated how the remaining soil organic cover and depth affected seedling emergence after treatments in the field. In addition, we explored the effect of soil thermal regime during prescribed burning on posterior seedling emergence.In the greenhouse experiment, a significantly greater number of seedlings emerged from the soil seed bank samples obtained after burning (1297 seedlings m−2) than from the seedlings obtained before burning (775 seedlings m−2) and after clearing (801 seedlings m−2) or mastication (705 seedlings m−2). The mechanical treatments did not induce any changes in the seedling emergence from the soil seed bank. Species richness in the soil seed bank was not altered by fuel reduction treatments. Post-burning seedling density was not significantly related to any of the soil thermal regime parameters during burning. Soil organic cover after the treatments negatively affected the response of the soil seed bank.The field study revealed no differences between treatments in relation to total vegetation cover, broom cover or grass cover. However, forbs cover was significantly higher in the prescribed burning treatment that is related with the higher density of seedlings of these species measured in the greenhouse experiment. C. oromediterraneus regenerated strongly via sprouting, being the seed germination rate in the field very low. That suggests that the soil seed bank makes little contribution to recovery of this species after fuel reduction treatments, and the same was observed for the remaining plant community.